From Stage to Server: ‘Britain’s Got Talent’s’ The Lowry Theatre transforms IT infrastructure
Thu 7 Sep 2023
The Lowry Theatre and Arts Centre, known for its diverse arts programming and as the host venue for shows like Britain’s Got Talent, has announced a significant upgrade to its IT infrastructure in partnership with Node4.
The Theatre’s existing IT system, which relied on out-of-warranty on-premises servers, faced challenges during the pandemic when remote work became essential. The system’s backup and disaster recovery components were outdated, and employees working from home faced connectivity issues, often requiring manual intervention from the IT team.
Darren Mullin, Head of IT at The Lowry, said: “The pandemic, with 50 staff working remotely, underscored the need for a more robust and flexible IT solution.”
Responding to this challenge, Node4 implemented a new IT environment for The Lowry within three weeks. This included faster servers, increased storage, and the VMware Horizon virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI).
The VDI system streamlined remote work, allowing employees to connect from the office or at home without the previous hassles.
“We’re a small IT team with no plans to expand our headcount in the near future. But we’re far more efficient these days and can consistently deliver for our colleagues,” said Mullin
Node4 also introduced a Backup as a Service (BaaS) solution, ensuring on-site backups of the VM environment and off-site replication for added security.
“We were constrained by space and server performance. Now, creating virtual machines is straightforward, and we can efficiently meet our third-party ticket sales contracts’ SLAs,” added Mullin.
The Lowry processes thousands of debit and credit card transactions annually, making PCI compliance crucial. The new solution enabled The Lowry to remain compliant.
As The Lowry looks ahead, its digital transformation journey is set to continue. Mullin envisioned further IT advancements, including leveraging Microsoft Azure and data analytics.
The Lowry Theatre, a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation, has been a client of Node4 for over a decade.
Image credit: The Lowry
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